3G starts at last a bigger test

Image from WikipediaSsst, do not say it too loud, otherwise it might go away again. China's own standard for the third generation of mobile phones (3G) has started testing including thousands of ordinary users, say different media outlets. Only a limited number of people and a limited number of models is available, guaranteeing a low-key start.
This comes after highly-embarrassing delays that was meant to show that China, next to a European and US standard for 3G, could produce its own, the TD-SCDMA. Main problem: it did not work that well, driving both domestic telecom companies and foreign telecom providers nuts, since they could also not launch other 3G-networks, nor would there be any clarity on who of the telecom providers with no mobile license, like China Netcom and China Telecom would be able to join the new mobile industry.
Chinese mobile phone users did not stop and more than 20 million are already using their mobile phone on their 2.5G networks, that are available.
Now the network has been launched in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shenyang, Qinhuangdao, Tianjin, and Xiamen, all by China Mobile, the proto-monopolist in China's mobile telecom.
The great idea was that a large portion of China's half a billion mobile phone users would have been able to watch also the Beijing Olympic Games of 2008 on their phone, but that target seems now unachievable.